March Break isn’t and shouldn’t be JUST about kids kicking back — Mom needs a break too. So grab the phone and call your girlfriends because this March break you deserve to relax, reload and rejuvenate...Party Mummy Style.
1. Hook It Up: If you've left your planning to the last minute, it’s not too late. Call, Tweet, or email your gal pals now. Chances are they're just as disorganized and underplanned as you are!
2. Share-a-Sitter: Uncomfortable leaving your three-year-old with the teen from next door? Hold your get-together at a friend’s house with a great playroom and book two or three local sitters who can manage all of the kids. You’ll have the free time you need with your girlfriends, but also the peace of mind that you’re close by if needed. It’s also cost effective—(i.e., $10 per hour X 2 sitters = $20 X 3 hours = $60 / 10 guests = $6 per guest).
3. Be Responsible: If Mummy is going to partake in a mojito one night with the girls, organize a carpool or arrange for cabs. You could even plan a sleepover. A full night’s sleep, in bed WITHOUT a child draped around your neck and a dog whining to go out at 6 am would do you a world of good.
If flying solo isn’t a possibility, here a few ways you can have some quality adult interaction WITH your kids along for the fun.
Salad lunch – Discussing Dora’s latest adventures over grilled cheese can get pretty tedious by Hump Day. So, infuse a little adult interaction into your week by inviting friends for a potluck luncheon. Assign each guest one salad ingredient (e.g., romaine, gourmet croutons, dressing, shredded cheese, fresh bread, sliced hard boiled eggs, etc.). The hostess provides the beverages, and presto — a tasty, healthy, no-fuss lunch and an opportunity for some adult conversation. Provide a kid-friendly lunch option as well. If possible, hire a sitter or ask older siblings to supervise the kids' lunch. Your kids will enjoy their special luncheon and some time apart from Mom too.
Mummy and Child Movie Night – Guests wear PJs and bring a blanket, pillow and stuffed animals. The menu includes simple foods like popcorn, fruit (for the kids), chocolate (for the moms...shhh) and perhaps a movie-themed drink. Set the kiddies up with a movie in one room, while their moms take in a chick-flick in another.
Chicks with Chips – Yahtzee! It’s Games night. Bring the kids, but if you want to focus on fun and not managing the children, hire sitters to chaperone and provide games and crafts. Guests bring a sweet or savoury treat and the host provides a signature drink for the night then let the poker chips fall where they may (and keep the potato chips where they belong—in your mouth).
Footloose and fancy free for the night? Here are some easy and cost-effective ideas to give you the break you deserve.
Serenity Now – An evening of wine and cheese, or sushi and cocktails. Leave the kids at home with dad, sitter, nanny or grandparents for this one. Hire two or three aestheticians or a masseuse for a few hours, and split the cost with guests. Check out local beauty schools or massage colleges for students at a good rate.
Fun-do – Each guest brings an assigned fruit. The host provides the chocolate. Guests dip and dish the gossip.
Miami Mama – Sip on some fruity tropical drinks, and hire a Latin or salsa dance instructor to teach a class at home. Bring the flavour of a hot Spring Break holiday to you!
Try to plan at least two events, one with kids and one without. It will be the perfect way to spend your March break, help you recoup and be a more relaxed, patient and yummy mummy.
Not going away for the break? Here's how to host as fun (granted, not as fun as going to an all-inclusive beach resort or escaping to a ski chalet) March Break Brunch with friends who are also stuck at relaxing at home this March Break.
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